Pause: #LoveLivesHere

Welcome back lovelies!

And a belated Eid Mubarak to all those who celebrated.

Eid is such a special time, especially this past celebration, which centres around our pilgrims and the culmination of their esteemed spiritual journey. There is a sense of peace, tranquillity and even camaraderie with those on their final days as we can now follow their movements live on TV, social media and live streaming sites. Oh how I yearn to join them, but I will patiently await my turn IA.

With Dad still in hospital this Eid, it was a sobering celebration, however it brought the importance of living life in the present to light. With our busy schedules, we zoom from one place to the next without a thought for the present. We are always focused on the next thing that needs to be done, and even though I try every day to present, I too fall into the habit of rushing from one point to another. This week I decided to take a moment to pause, between missions, work and family and savour the time (and health) I am blessed with to be able to live and be free. It is indeed a privilege, when we reflect on war torn countries, refugees and the constant state of instability around the world. These moments helped me to reflect on my life and assess if I am making the most of each moment, and being grateful for them.

Having growing kids, one does tend to get caught up in the doing, in the actions of running a home. I have realised that I need to be mindful to show my family how much I love them, show appreciation for the little things, and more importantly, say thank you for just being them. And while we fight constantly with the teenagers, it may just be a temporary disagreement, but the lesson I take from this to compromise and even agree to disagree on certain issues. Unfortunately it's not always possible to compromise. I try really hard to be accepting of them as individuals, without my expectations clouding the point. I believe acceptance in the home is important, as it cements the feeling of being loved unconditionally. If I express my love and acceptance (especially when I may feel differently about a situation) I am hopeful that it will build their esteem in their own abilities. Unconditional love and acceptance will foster their sense of self love, self esteem and confidence in their own contributions.

Having said that, I realise the tribulations of having opinionated, soon-to-be-adults in the home, they challenge and question constantly. Whilst trying to stay in the moment and be present, I usually listen and will calmly (not always though) assert my opinion on whatever matter we're discussing. It doesn't always go as well as I hope, and I often have a sulky teenager mumbling under his breath. Our solution to this is to usually take a time out, and resume the discussion when we're both less worked up. This is the equivalent of my pause moments I have taken this week. A time out to assess the landscape and approach it with a composed attitude, ready to compromise (if necessary) or declare the outcome (based on house rules).

This pause has helped keep me on an even keel, it has helped me get through each day without getting over emotional (especially having Dad in hospital for almost a week) and it has given me the opportunity to express love and share joy in each moment.

PS: These pause moments are only effective when there are no distractions ie phones, laptops, TV or tablets.

Today I'm sharing my Eid look, a dress from local designer, Mareth Colleen, one that I've had in my wardrobe for almost two years. I paired it with a lace t-shirt, Valentino heels and a lace Kashka turban.